BA'AL (; plural construct, Ba'ale, ):

Hebrew word for possessor or owner of an object. In connection with many nouns, it expresses some relation between the person and an object. Many of these combinations are found in Bible phraseology, and are still used, especially among the Polish-German Jews; e.g., "Ba'al ha-Bayit" (master of the house), corruptly pronounced "Baalboos." In the idiom of the Talmud the words compounded with Ba'al that are especially used to designate the different classes among scholars are: "Ba'ale Gemara," or "Ba'ale Talmud," those versed in the Talmud; "Ba'ale Miḳra," those versed in the Bible; and "Ba'ale Mishnah," those versed in the Mishnah. Other compounds with Ba'al adopted from the Talmud, and still frequently used, are: "Ba'ale Ḥayyim," animals; "Ba'al Din," opponent, the plural being "Ba'ale Din [in]," those engaged in a lawsuit; "Ba'al Teshubah," the repentant sinner; "Ba'al Yesurin," one afflicted with pain; "Ba'al Mum," one having a bodily defect; "Ba'al 'Eẓah," counselor. A curious use of Ba'al is found in the rabbinic, especially the halakic, writings of the Middle Ages. It consists in citing an author by the title of his best-known work, with which Ba'al is combined; e.g., "Ba'al Halakot," meaning Isaac Alfasi; "Ba'al Hassagot," meaning Abraham b. David. Jacob b. Asher is commonly cited as "Ba'al ha-Ṭurim"; another codifier, Mordecai b. Abraham Yafe, as "Ba'al ha-Lebushim," being the authors of those works respectively. The critic Zerachiah ben Isaac is called after his work "Ba'al ha-Maor"; and Moses Isserles is known as "Ba'al ha-Mappah." The great preacher Isaac Arama is very seldom cited under his own name, but as "Ba'al 'Akedah"; and the lexicographer Nathan b. Jehiel is cited as "Ba'al he-'Aruk." The Tosafists are called "Ba'ale ha-Tosafot," an expression that designates the school, just as "Ba'ale ha-Meḥḳar" is the term for philosophers (compare Meïr Ba'al Nes; Ba'al Shem).

Bibliography:

Kohut, Aruch Completum, ii. 141-150;

Levy, Neuhebr. Wörterb. i. 248-249;

Jastrow, Dictionary, p. 182.

J.Sr.L.G.

The following enumeration of the most popular compounds of Ba'al that have crept into common use may be found useful: